New Living is an ever evolving green home and building store in Houston, Texas. Small and rooted to its community, New Living strives to provide Houstonians with the products and resources necessary to create a sustainable, healthy home.
Last year, Jeff Kaplan, the founder of New Living, began compiling a diverse team of enthusiastic designers, builders and social strategists to revive a depression-era hardware store into a modern green home supply store. I was asked to join the group as a designer and collaborated with architect Brian Malarkey and graphic designer Evan O'Neil to develop both the store architectural concept and design as well as the store's overall branding strategy.
The "information band" at the pre-opening party.
Brian and I worked to utilize existing the hardware store's existing display components while integrating and showcasing the store's eco-friendly product lines. Around the perimeter of the store, an "information band" is defined by two continuous bamboo shelves. Within the band, products are displayed minimally and "social impact labels" allow consumers to learn the environmental and social impacts of the products they are purchasing.
Together, Evan and I worked to create the graphic identity of the store. We developed the logo and the label for New Living's paint line, Novoc.
right: Novoc, New Living's exclusive paint line Logo above: The four circles represent the different facets of New Living:Green Building supplies, Healthy Homewares, Green Co-working, and a Community Resource.
The New Living Playhouse was created in collaboration with Park Lane Healthy Homes. The children's playhouse also serves as an educational tool for adults. The three exterior walls showcase ways to make an existing home more efficient. In the photo to the right you can see the insulation display along with the children's play platform and chalkboard walls.
above: In order to maximize the number of organic mattress options in the showroom with minimal floorspace, we developed a bed that allows for two twin beds to be tucked neatly away beneath. The bed uses reclaimed wood from trees downed by Hurricane Ike in Houston and was masterfully built by local sustainable carpenter, Bob Card.
left: The 2-piece coffee station and bookcase located at the front entry lounge. (Built by Wagner Millworks).
The New Living design team (including, but not limited to): Jeff Kaplan, Brian Malarkey, Heather Rowell, Evan O'Neil, and Joseph Fowler. Take a peek at some of the companies of those involved:
New Living before: Wagner Hardware